Viewing 40 posts - 1 through 40 (of 52 total)
  • Why do birds only eat in the morning?
  • footflaps
    Full Member

    Every morning at around 8.30 I fill up all the bird feeders, throw seeds on the lawn and pour hot water into the bird bath. Everything is gone by the next morning.

    Came back Sunday am after a night away and filled everything up at lunchtime – all still there frozen and untouched the next morning….

    ballsofcottonwool
    Free Member

    If they don’t eat in the morning they die.

    honeybadgerx
    Full Member

    Because the bath water is still warm?

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    mert
    Free Member

    If they don’t spot it when they wake up, they bugger off somewhere else and eat that instead. They’ll be back tomorrow.

    Drac
    Full Member

    They eat all day not just in the mornings.

    matt_outandabout
    Full Member

    If they don’t spot it when they wake up, they bugger off somewhere else and eat that instead. They’ll be back tomorrow.

    ^ this is what I think happens. Plus, ours are busy first thing as I think they are hungry and thirsty after a night roosting.

    IdleJon
    Full Member

    Every morning at around 8.30 I fill up all the bird feeders, throw seeds on the lawn and pour hot water into the bird bath. Everything is gone by the next morning.

    Came back Sunday am after a night away and filled everything up at lunchtime – all still there frozen and untouched the next morning….

    They’ve got a routine, same as any other animal. They’ll be going to places that provide food at regular times. You feed them in the morning, Doris up the road feeds at 11.30, the grubs and worms start appearing when the woodland warms up slightly so they go there a bit later…

    martinhutch
    Full Member

    Round this way, they suddenly appear. Often wondered why.

    footflaps
    Full Member

    They’ve got a routine, same as any other animal.

    I’m sure they have, but I’m just surprised that when it’s this cold, not a single one notices several 100 grams of seed in the garden, sat there on a clear day for 5 hours just waiting….

    E.g. I’ve had three Robins fighting over it, so you think one of them might pop back later one day…

    thepurist
    Full Member

    Round this way, they suddenly appear. Often wondered why.

    I expect it’s related to your proximity

    crogthomas
    Free Member

    Same for me.

    desperatebicycle
    Free Member

    Same for me

    They have a deep desire

    thepurist
    Full Member

    What do the keys Y, H, J, K, I, 8, 7 & 6 have in common?

    desperatebicycle
    Free Member

    I’m not sure but some supernatural beings that serve god definitely had a meeting on your birthday

    ernielynch
    Full Member

    They eat all day not just in the mornings.

    That’s not necessarily the case. Seed eaters with crops can gorge themselves with food which will last quite a while, birds without crops need regular food.

    Consequently a pigeon can easily survive a couple of days without food, a crow however probably wouldn’t – they would quickly become too weak to fly and find food.

    Also fat reserves play a part – pigeons will have some but crows have no significant amounts of fat.

    Edit: And the comments with regards to birds and their routines are very valid imo.

    Bunnyhop
    Full Member

    The birds here come for breakfast, morning coffee, lunch, afternoon tea, high tea, dinner and finally supper.
    Costs us a fortune in feed, they normally get through at least one feeder a day.

    jp-t853
    Full Member

    In our garden they tend to eat a lot in the morning and then there are another couple of busy periods around late morning and mid afternoon all species can come together in these blocks. At this time of year they will settle after that to keep warm.
    They also tend to come in waves depending on species at various times in the day, looking out of my window I have a load of blue tits on the feeders at the moment but no other birds. Just finished typing and the blue tits have gone and it is all quiet 🙂

    footflaps
    Full Member

    At this time of year they will settle after that to keep warm.

    I was wondering if there was some energy conservation going on – minimising the hours out and about once they’ve eaten enough..

    ernielynch
    Full Member

    To be fair what else has a bird got to do this time of year apart from eating?

    A quick preen and that’s all the chores done for the day.

    kayak23
    Full Member

    Round this way, they suddenly appear. Often wondered why.

    I expect it’s related to your proximity

    Drac
    Full Member

    To be fair what else has a bird got to do this time of year apart from eating?

    A quick preen and that’s all the chores done for the day.

    Not necessarily. I’ve 2 jackdaws rebuilding their nest near me.

    Blackflag
    Free Member

    Ive got sparrows and tits nibbling at my fat balls right now.

    ernielynch
    Full Member

    I’ve 2 jackdaws rebuilding their nest near me.

    They must be very house/nest proud! It’s still a while before the hanky-panky season.

    BigJohn
    Full Member

    Tits like coconuts

    Whereas blackbirds enjoy the sultanas we put out in the mornings.

    oh, and Close to You!

    IdleJon
    Full Member

    To be fair what else has a bird got to do this time of year apart from eating?

    A quick preen and that’s all the chores done for the day.

    Gulls always find somewhere to fly to and from, and maybe to have a bit of a squabble over a chip. I’ve always admired the fact that gulls look like they enjoy flying and just do it for the sake of flying. I’d be a gull! I like arguments as well. 😀

    phiiiiil
    Full Member

    It’s still a while before the hanky-panky season.

    I thought so too until the six year old calls me over to the window last weekend. “Daddy look at those pigeons, one of them is climbing on the other’s back! How funny…”

    Drac
    Full Member

    They must be very house/nest proud! It’s still a while before the hanky-panky season.

    Indeed. They pair for life though.

    ernielynch
    Full Member

    I’d be a gull! I like arguments as well. 😀

    Yeah being a Sea Gull full appeals to me too, but only because of their ability to shit on someone with truly spectacular results. Compare that with a sparrow, or even a pigeon – pathetic.

    IdleJon
    Full Member

    Yeah being a Sea Gull full appeals to me too, but only because of their ability to shit on someone with truly spectacular results.

    I genuinely think that they target people just for laughs. And don’t forget about stealing food from people’s hands. Great fun, why wouldn’t you do it if you could. 😀

    ernielynch
    Full Member

    They pair for life though.

    A surprisingly amount of birds mate for life. And in the case of crows their offsprings will sometimes stay around to help their parents look after the following year’s youngsters.

    ernielynch
    Full Member

    And don’t forget about stealing food from people’s hands.

    Or even walking into a shop to steal a bag of crisps.

    tjagain
    Full Member

    No such bird as a seagull!

    johnx2
    Free Member

    incidentally, are you stalked by young men in your conurbation?

    soundninjauk
    Full Member

    Ive got sparrows and tits nibbling at my fat balls right now.

    Sounds uncomfortable.

    Mister-P
    Free Member

    Yeah being a Sea Gull full appeals to me too

    Do you mean a herring gull?

    WorldClassAccident
    Free Member

    Suring the birds just assumed it was early closing on Sunday?

    ernielynch
    Full Member

    Do you mean a herring gull?

    Well I’ve got no idea where “Sea Gull full” came from but I mean one of these cheeky gits who steal and shit on people.

    Northwind
    Full Member

    Mine eat all day, every day. And sit on the feeders and stare at me if they’re empty for even 10 seconds.

    funkmasterp
    Full Member

    Any excuse to post this!

    BigJohn
    Full Member

    I was once told by a friend who is a bit of an ornithologist that birds don’t fly for leisure; it’s just too energy sapping. So if you see them flying, chances are they’re hunting for food.

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